Copper thieves ‘caught red-handed’ with cables worth R150k
TWO MEN were reportedly “caught red-handed” stealing copper cables worth R150,000 at a train line outside Victoria West.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock stated that on January 23, at around 4pm, the Victoria West SAPS and Transnet security personnel acted on information and discovered a group of men stealing copper cables from Transnet infrastructure.
While six men were involved, only two were arrested, as the other four fled and remain at large.
The arrested suspects, foreign nationals aged 35 and 41, are set to appear in the Victoria West Magistrate's Court on charges of tampering with essential infrastructure.
The provincial commissioner for the Northern Cape, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, praised the Victoria West SAPS and Transnet security for their swift action and successful arrests. She highlighted the strong partnership between the SAPS, the security sector, and local communities in tackling crimes targeting essential infrastructure.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kock urged the public to assist in fighting crime by reporting illegal activities to the SAPS Crime Stop number, 08600 10111, or via the MySAPS app. Residents can also participate in the “Rate Our Service” QR survey to help improve police services.
